Thanks to all of you who came out for the Dallas Uncorked and TexaCali Wine Co. Boutique Tasting last night at Kitchen 1924. An amazing group of old and new friends of TexaCali paired with a beautiful showing of wines from Argentina and California...oh and a BIG THANK YOU to Hayley of Dallas Uncorked for organizing and to Shawn for creating incredible food nibbles throughout the night! Pictures are posted at the end of this page - http://www.texacaliwine.com/abouttexacali/2006pics.html
2005 Handley Gewürztraminer - Just sweet enough for a Texan who prefers a little sugar, but enough beautiful fruit clarity and balance for serious lovers of the Alsace. Wine and Spirits Magazine gave it 93 points. This vintage will not last long in Texas!
2005 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes – so I pulled the last of the 2005 for the event. This wine is just eye-popping good! Floral elegance is what comes to mind each and every time I open a bottle. The intensity is greatness – jasmine, lychee fruit, cherry blossoms, and apricots. It’s so hard to describe! I swear I could dab it behind my ears and receive complements on my “scent”.
2003 Handley Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc – I read this review awhile back, couldn’t agree more! “Crisp like a Grüner, but heavier in structure, like a Mâconnais Chardonnay. Fruits highlight the landscape of this wine, which shows green apple, peach and tangerine with hints of ruby red grapefruit rind and stones. Well balanced and lovely”. Perfect of course!
2005 Pellegrini Russian River Unoaked Chardonnay – A great example of clear and lovely Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The nose always reminds me of a soft bartlett pear. I overheard a few guys saying “I could get use to this no-oak thing!”. Slight creamy lemony finish – perfect for summer seafood in Texas.
2002 Fort Ross Chardonnay – this bottle of Fort Ross Chardonnay should be called “The Charmer”, it absolutely reminds you of why you fell for wine in the first place. Creamy, lovely Chardonnay, not too heavy in body - heavenly indeed!
2003 Fort Ross Pinot Noir – WOW! Such an elegant bottle of Pinot Noir. Crushed red cherries on the nose that magically pull your lips towards the glass. Not a big and over-extracted pinot whatsoever, vibrant berry flavors with hints of baking spices on the finish. My WOTN (wine of the night).
2004 Pellegrini Carignan – always a favorite at tastings. The color is the first thing you notice when pouring – deep garnet and blackberry with an incredibly crimson rose petal nose. This carignan is sooo easy to sip – pairs perfectly with our TexMex year round.
2004 BenMarco Malbec – the Wine Spectator just gave this one 90pts. for very strong reasons. Susana Balbo and her husband Pedro Marchevsky are behind this full-bodied Malbec. It has 12% Bonarda and 1% Cab Franc to add to the savory flavors. Perfect for anything beefy on the grill or for the grillmaster alone!
2002 Fort Ross Pinotage – listen here, this is not your average –run-of-mill Pinotage from South Africa, this one is grown and produced right along the Pacific Ocean high above most of Sonoma County. Racy, sexy, brambly – too good to be believed without sipping on a little yourself.
2002 Cloverdale Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon – my favorite Sonoma Cabernet producer, this Alexander Valley monster gets the job done every time! Full of dark peppery Alexander Valley fruit – but it’s a tease – the finish always ends with an incredible burst of wild cherry. This should always be your cab-by-the-case at home!
2001 Susana Balbo Brioso – love LOVED this wine! She only produced 595 cases of the 2001 so I;ve only had a few glasses. Intense, rich and powerful. A true Argentine meritage – I walked a bottle over to some Francophiles sitting at the bar – they swore it’s the best they’ve ever tasted from South America. Delicious. Cheers - Ali
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